Dual channel noise coherence reducers



Nov. 24, 1959- T. A. o. GRoss Erm. 2,914,762

DUAL CHANNEL NOISE COHERENCE REDUCERS Filed Feb. 24, 1954 THOMAS AO. @ROSS JOHN A. SHEE/-IAN BVMW/hgh? ATm/z/VEY DUAL CHANNEL Norsn corrERENcE REDUCERS Thomas A. 0. Gross, South Lincoln, and John A. Sheehan, Jamaica Plain, Mass., assignors to Raytheon Company, a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to means for greatly reducing the coherence of noise in two or more signal channels arisn ing from a source common to all of said channels, and more particularly relates to means for reducing the autocorrelation or coherence of transmitter and local oscillator noise in the two-signal channels of a simultaneous lobing system.

Dual channel systems are known which comprise means for directly comparing the outputs of both channels in order to derive a voltage for control or indicating purposes which is proportional to the autocorrelation and cross-correlation of the outputs of the two channels. Noise or spurious signals generated by a source or sources of energy common to both channels has been found to produce troublesome output from the comparators forming part of the said simultaneous lobing systems because of the correlation or `coherence of the noise present in the outputs of the two channels. f

In accordance with this invention, the auto-correlation of noise, or the noise coherence, in the two-channel sys tem is greatly reduced by introducing into one or both of said channels an electrical time delay'network. By displacing in time the noise signals in the outputs of the two channels the noise coherence or correlation may be reduced to ten percent or less of the original value.

In order to facilitate comprehension of theinventionit will `irst be described speciiically with reference to a simultaneous lobing radar system. The principles of this invention, however, are equally applicable to various multiple channel systems, generally similar in their function and operation to the simultaneous lobing system' specically set forth.

In the drawings: i p

Fig. 1 is a block diagram .of a simultaneous lobing radar system in accordance with the invention;

Figs. 2 and 3 are block diagrams of modifications of the system of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a second system utilizing the principles of the invention. y i

In Fig. l, the simultaneous lobing system is provided with a source of energy 12, such as a magnetron, which is fed simultaneously to two identical narrow-beam paraboloidal antennas 14 and 15 mounted one above the other in a vertical plane and canted symmetrically in the horizontal plane so that they are directed at slight difference points in azimuth. This results in a symmetrical divergence of the antenna radiation patterns about the vertical plane of symmetry. A portion of the energy from source 12 radiated by antennas 14 and 15` is reflected froma target whose orientation is to be measured. This re ilected energy is received by said antennas and separately mixed in two similar sections of square wave guides 19 and 20 of a duplexer 18 with a small portion of the energy from source 12. One form of, duplexer which does not form a part of the subject invention, includes two square wave guides 19 and 20 capable of propagating horizontally and vertically polarized energy. when excited by source 12. The vertically polarized components of 2,914,762 Patented Nov. 24., 1959 the received signals are independently conveyed to opposite ends of a standard magic tee 22 by way of rectangular wave guide portions 23 and 24. The series and shunt arms of the magic tee 22 each contain a crystal detector.

When the target lies in the horizontal plane it is equidistant from both antennas and the signals received by the two antennas are in phase. One of the crystal detectors 26 receives the signals from the two antennas in phase and detects the sum of the two signals. It is possible to determine upon which side of the vertical plane of symmetry the target lies by observing the relative amplitudes of the in-phase signals received by the antennas. When the target lies in the vertical plane the target is no longer equidistant from both antennas; echoes received by the antennas from a target in the vertical plane have equal amplitudes but have a phase difference depending upon the relative distances from the target to the antennas. The other crystal detector 27 receives the two signals in phase opposition and detects the difference between the two received signals.

The sum and difference signals are separately fed to video amplifiers 30 and 31 of a sum signal channel 38 and a diierence signal channel 4i), all respectively. The amplified sum and difference signals are next fed to respective balanced mixers 33 and 34 where they are beat against the output of a conventional local oscillator 32 to provide intermediate frequency signals which are amplified in I.F. amplifiers 35 and 36.

The output of the difference signal channel 40 is applied directly to amplitude plane comparator 44 and to phase plane comparator 45 after undergoing a phase shift of electrical degrees in phase shifter 41. The output of the sum signal channel 38 is applied to both comparators 44 and 45 through a delay line 42, to be referred to subsequently. The comparators essentially are bal anced modulators having push-pull input to which the sum channel signal is applied and a single-ended input to which the diierence channel signal is applied. The output of amplitude plane comparator 44 will be a direct current voltage proportional to the degree of unbalance in the comparator. The amplitude of the D.C. output of comparator 44 will be proportional to the right-left coordinates of the target. The phase plane comparator 45 is identical in construction to comparator 44 but the output of the diiference signal channel is shifted ninety degrees in phase before application to the single-ended input of comparator 45. The output of the phase plane comparator is proportional to the up-down coordinates of the target.

In order to insure correct directional information, it is important that each of the two channels be identical, so that relative amplitude and phase of the two received signals will be preserved. Because of the identity of the two channels, noise or spurious signals generated by the magnetron 12 or by the local oscillator 32, if one is used, will be identical in both channels; that is, the noise present at the output of the sum channel will be coherent with that present at the output of the difference channel. In other words, the correlation of the noise voltages in both the channels is one hundred percent. When these noise voltages are applied to the amplitude plane (inphase) comparator 44 the output of this comparator normally produced by the true signals will be adversely affected. The eect of large correlation of noise voltages is not particularly troublesome as applied to the phase plane comparator 45 because of the phase shift of the noise encountered in the difference signal channel prior to application to the phase comparator.

To obviate the disadvantages accruing from high correlation of noise, an electrical delay network 42, which may be any one of several types of delay lines well known in the art, such as a magnetostrictive delay line,'is inaddition to useful signals.

isY applied kto 1a dual channel system, each channel. of

serted in either channeland at any stage after the source of noise. YAs shown in Fig, l, delay line 42 is inserted in cent ofV its original Value is 0.75 microsecondj for a one megacycle band width and 0.75 millisecond for a channel band width of one kilocycle. The latter ligure is representative of a typical C.W. radar system.

The delay used must produce 21m radians of phase shift where n isany integer, in order that the elevationazimuth sense of the simultaneous lobing system isV not Y destroyed.l

Vln Fig. 2, avmodiication of the simultaneous lobing VVsystem of Eig. l is shown in which the output of the sum signal channelV 33 is shifted ninety degrees in phase before application .to the phase plaine` comparator 4S, in-

stead of shifting the phase of the output of the dilerence signal channel as inthe system Vof Fig. l. The systems of Figs. `l andV 2 are equally satisfactory, since in either system the inputs to the phase plane comparator are ninety degrees out of phase.v It will be notedthat the delay line d2 in Fig. 2 is connected in the sum signal channel, as in the system of Fig. 1; however, it may be placed in the difference signal channel if desired. Since,

for reasons already pointed out, noise correlationrin the two channels has no appreciable adverse etect uponthe Vphase plane comparator, delay line'dZ may be inserted to the rightof circuit junction point 47, rather than inthe f position shown in Fig. 2.

. In Fig. 3, the' delayline V42 is shown insertedvin theV diierence signal channel instead of in the surnsignal channeL'as in the systems of Figs. 1 and 2. vFurthermore, delay line 42 is inserted in the input of the diierence signal channel rather than in the( output. This latter arrangement is satisfactory provided'tbelocal oscillator is not productive of noise or provided that theY local oscillator is omitted from the system.

Although the invention has been describedrheretoforel' Y j in connection with a simultaneous lobing system, the in#A vent'ion may be appliedrto any system energized by a corn-Y `mon source and comprising two or moreidentioal channels.' These outputs are compared in a comparison eir- V cuit. Such a system is` broadly shown in Fig. and in- 4 f instead be placed in the output of translation device 55 with equallyV good results. 1

This invention is not limited to the particular details i of construction, materials and processes described, as

many equivalents will suggest themselves to those skilled in the Aart. It is accordingly desired that the appended claims be given a broad interpretation commensurate with the scope of the invention within the art.

What is claimed is:V v

1,'In combination, a source of electromagnetic energy,

Y means for radiating such energy toward an object, means for receiving reected energy from said object in the formfof rst and sccond echoes representative of spatial coordinates of said object, iirstrmeans vfor deriving a rst signal representativeof the vector sum of said rst and second echoes, second means for deriving a second signal representative of the vectordiierence between said iirst and second echoes, a first signal channel for transmitting said rst signal,a second signal channel for transmitting said second signal, said rst and second signal channels transmitting therethrough noise, said noise in the output of said rst signal Vchannel being coherent with that in the output of said second signal channel, means for shiftf 'ing the phase of one of said signals ninety electrical degrees, first comparison means responsive to said iirst and second signals for producing a first direct current output voltage proportional to one of said spatial coordinates, vsecond comparison means responsive to said phase-shifted one signal and tothe other of said signals for producing Va secondV direct current Voutput voltage proportional to the otherof said spatial coordinates, and signal delay means yinterposed inl one only of said signal channelstor altering the correlation gotV said noise in the outputs of said signal channels.

-2. In combination, a source of electromagnetic'energy,

v means for radiating suchenergy toward an objecnmeans Vfor receiving Vreilected energy from said robjectV in 'the .form oflirst and secondy echoes representative of spatial coordinates of said object, Vfirst meansrforV deriving a first signal representative ofthe vector sum ofsaid first and second echoes, second lmeans for'deriving'asecond signal representative of ,the vector difference between said rst and second echoes, afirst signal channel for transmitting cludes :an energy source 52 which generatesgnoisein Y The output from source 52 which includes corresponding translation devices 54 and 5s., Y i v 1 .'lfhese translation devices mayV beanylelectrical circuit, such as an amplifier, which is capable of modifying the signal-applied to its input terminals and whose transmission characteristics vare substantially identical to that ,of the other translati n devices. The outputs of translation devices 5d and 55 are combined in a comparison circuitV STWhieh may, for' example, be a circuit such aslthe in- Vphase' or amplitude plane comparator 44 of Figsfil, 2, v3,

said first signal, Ya second signal'channel forV transmitting said secondY signal, said Erst and second signal channels transmitting therethrough noise of substantially identical character, means `for shifting'the phase ofvon'e of'said signals ninety electrical degrees, yfirst Ycomparison means responsive to-said Afirst andsecond signals forrproducing a rst direct current output Voltage proportionalto one of said spatialcoordinates, second comparison meansVV responsive to said phase-shifted one signalrand to the other of said 'signals for producing a second direct `currentk output voltage'proportional to, the other of said spatial coordinates, and signal delay means interposed between one only of 'said signal channels and one of said comparison means Y`for alteringV the correlation of ff said noisein the outputs of saidlsignal channels.y

y 3. In combination, 'a' source Aof Velectromagnetic. energy, means for radiating suchenergy toward an object, Ymeans Y 1 for Vreceiving reflected' energyV from said object Ain the for providiny at the output terminal 59 .a signal equal to the difference in amplitude iof the two applied signals."A

Because-of Vthe identity of the*translation'devicesfiV Y and 55, anynoise transmitted throughone device willvbe coherent with ,that transmitted 'through'theother device In order to Areduce the noise correlationor coherence,` the s delay netivork'fi, similargto that .already described, is

' form .of rst -and'secondechoesrepresentative ofk spatial coordinates of` said object,` rst means for deriving a vfirst 'signal representative lof they vector sum of said rst Yand second echoes, `second means for deriving av second signal representative of thevector difference between said rst and second echoes, a vfirst signalrchannel Vfor transmitting said rst signal, asecond signal channel for transmitting said second signal, said first andY second/signal channels VVinserted in one only ofthe .two channels, as.clearly'V Y shown in Fig. '4. This delay network 4 2, although shown Figl 4 .in the output of translation device 54, may` Y responsive to saidrirst and second signals for producing transmitting therethrough noise of substantially Videntical v "charactcr, means forshifting the phase of one of said signals ninety electrical degrees, first comparison means a rst direct current output voltage'proportional to one of said spatialjcoordinates, ,second comparison means responsive to said phase shifted one signal and to the other of said signals for producing a second direct current output voltage proportional to the other of said spatial coordinates, and signal delay means interposed in one only of said signal channels for altering the correlation of said noise in the outputs of said signal channels, said correlation being ygiven by the equation where p is the correlation of noise in said channels fo is the center equency `of the pass band of said channels r (tan) is the relative time delay between the two channels e is the Napierian base approximately ,equal to 2.718

1r is a number approximately equal to 3.142

4. In combination, a receiver comprising a pair of receiving antennas having spaced radiation patterns, said receiver including irst means for adding the signals received by said antennas to produce a rst output, said receiver further including second means for subtracting one of said signals from the other to produce a second output, a rst signal channel for transmitting said first output, a second signal channel for transmitting said second output said first and second signal channels transmitting therethrough noise of substantially identical character, means for shifting the phase of one of said outputs, first comparison means responsive to said rst and second outputs for producing a iirst Voltage, second com parison means responsive to the output of said phaseshifting means and to the other of said outputs for producing a second voltage, and signal delay means inserted in series with one only of said signal channels for alten ing the correlation of said noise in said channels.

5. In combination, a source of electromagnetic energy, means for radiating such energy toward an object, means for receiving reflected energy from said object in the form of rst and second echoes representative of spatial coordinates of said object, first means for deriving a rst signal representative of the vector sum of said rst and second echoes, second means for deriving a second signal representative of the vector diierence between said rst and second echoes, a rst signal channel for transmitting said first signal, a second signal channel for transmitting said second signal, said rst and second sig nal channels transmitting therethrough noise, said noise in the output of said first signal channel being coherent with that in the output of said second signal channel, means for shifting the phase of one of said signals ninety electrical degrees, first comparison means responsive to said rst and second signals for producing a iirst direct current output voltage proportional to one of said spatial coordinates, second comparison means responsive to said phase-shifted one signal and to the other of said signals for producing a second direct current output voltage proportional to the other of said spatial coordinates, and signal delay means interposed in series with one only of said signal channels for altering the correlation of noise in the outputs of said signal channels.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,426,187 Earp Aug. 26, 1947 2,471,418 Earp May 31, 1949 2,567,197 Fox Sept. 11, 1951 2,580,148 Wirkler Dec. 25, 1951 2,608,683 Blewett Aug. 26, 1952 2,682,656 Phillips June 29, 1954 2,687,520 Fox et a1 Aug. 24, 1954 

